Containers or kits have been configured to house a condom and/or liquid material used prior to, in, or after sexual activities. A device has been developed to house a condom and liquid material said device comprising a means to dispense the liquid material. Devices have been developed comprised of an element that heats liquid material contained therein prior to extraction using an exothermic or electric heat source. A device has been developed comprised of an element that heats a liquid material contained therein but only after the liquid material is dispensed on a target area. A device has been developed to house articles to be dispensed but only after a liquid material contained within the device is applied to an article and heated prior to dispensing the moistened, heated article. The prior art hereinafter discussed is limited to articles of manufacture that house one or more condoms, a liquid material used in sexual activities or a condom and a liquid material used in sexual activities and devices that heat a liquid material contained therein either prior to or after removal of the liquid material or heat a pre-moistened article contained within the device prior to removal of the article from the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,521 B2 issued in June of 2004 to McCleskey et al., entitled “Combination Prophylactic and Sanitizer,” principally describes an invention combining a packaged prophylactic with a packaged sanitizer. The McCleskey invention claims a combination prophylactic and sanitizer comprising at least one disposable package containing at least one prophylactic and at least one disposable package containing at least one sanitizer said packages may be removably secured to each other. An alternative embodiment of the McCleskey invention claims a separate package used as a receptacle into which used/contaminated prophylactics or sanitizers are placed.
The McCleskey invention combines at least one disposable package containing at least one prophylactic and at least one disposable package containing at least one sanitizer. The term “sanitizer” is defined in the McCleskey specification. A sanitizer is a disposable towelette, napkin, wipe, and/or swab pre-moistened with a sterilizing agent, lubricant, or spermicidal. The specification further provides that although a sanitizer is preferably a pre-moistened towelette, it is contemplated in an alternate embodiment that a sanitizer may be a self-contained liquid/gel sterilizing agent (without towelette). However, the specification does not provide that a sanitizer may be a self-contained liquid used in sexual activities (without towelette) other than a self-contained liquid/gel antiseptic or sterilizing agent.
Moreover, the McCleskey specification provides that a prophylactic or sanitizer within a package is manually removed after tearing open the package. The McCleskey invention discloses a means to manually reseal a package that contains or contained at least one sanitizer or a receptacle designed to hold used/contaminated prophylactics or sanitizers/towelettes. The McCleskey invention does not provide a means to reseal a package containing at least one prophylactic. The package containing a prophylactic or sanitizer may be formed from any suitable packaging material including aluminum, plastic, or paper. The package comprises multiple two-sided packages—only two walls.
The McCleskey invention comprises a package containing at least one prophylactic. The specification makes no mention of a liquid material enclosed within the package other than that contained in a conventional package.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,775 B1 issued in June of 2003 to Hagopian, entitled “Method of External Genital Cleansing and Prophylactic Kit,” describes a kit comprised of a sealed container housing one or more packaged condoms and one or more packaged wipes having topical microbicides, personal lubricants, sterile water, or sterile water-based solution disposed on or impregnated therein. The articles comprising the kit are principally used to avoid the transmission of disease during sexual intercourse, to provide a lubricating aid during sexual intercourse, and to externally cleanse the genitals prior to or after sexual intercourse. The articles comprising the kit are available over the counter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,427 B2 issued in September of 2003 to Woodhouse, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Containing Prophylactic Articles,” describes a sanitary non-disposable container for storing one or more prophylactics. The container is comprised of a convex compartment, a recessed compartment, and a hinge that permits the compartment to mate forming an airtight seal. An unpackaged prophylactic is situated between the two compartments when the container is in a closed position. Although not claimed, the specification provides that a sanitary compartment may be added that houses a personal lubricant.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,980 B2 issued in February of 2004 to Anderson, entitled “Prophylactic Garment System for Safer Sex,” describes an undergarment worn while performing sexual activities comprising an opening in the crouch area facilitating intercourse and one or more pockets used to store sexual aids, including a packaged condom or packaged personal lubricant. The sexual aids are intended to be individually purchased over the counter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,022 issued in March of 2000 to Young, entitled “Combination Condom Case and Fragrance Dispenser,” describes a combination condom case and fragrance dispenser. The Young invention comprises a portable non-disposable container comprising a compartment that contains a condom or condoms and a compartment that contains a fragrance or perfume tube. The fragrance or perfume contained in the tube is dispensed through an opening in the front wall by means of depressing a plunger located on the top wall. The condom or condoms housed in the device are individually purchased over the counter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,448 issued in November of 1992 to Foldesy, entitled “Condom Comprising Dispensing Structure and Method of Making and Using the Same,” describes a condom comprising openings on its proximal portion said condom rolled onto a roll ring containing a liquid material and as the roll ring is squeezed the liquid material exudes out through the openings of the condom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,514 B1 issued in November of 2002 to Joseph et al., entitled “Product Dispenser Having Internal Temperature Changing Element,” describes a temperature modifying system for heating a product within a flexible container using an exothermic element also contained within the flexible holder. The heat from the exothermic element is released when pressure is applied to the outside of the flexible container causing the internal element to rupture. The product dispensed is heated as a result.
U.S. Patent App. No. 2004/0194472 A1 published in October 2004 by Wohland et al., entitled “Multi-Compartment Pack for Cooling or Heating of Products,” describes a multi-compartment pack comprising a product contained within a compartment that is exothermically heated before being removed and two other compartments containing the components that create the chemical reaction resulting in exothermic heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,868 B1 issued in November of 2001 to Krietemeier et al., entitled “Dispenser Which Incrementally Heats Fluids with Substantial Non-Volatile Constituent Parts,” describes a device that houses a large quantity of liquid material then transfers a portion of the liquid material to a pre-delivery chamber where it is heated to a desired temperature finally dispensing the liquid material by means of a dispensing spout. The device is AC or DC powered.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,010 B2 issued in June of 2005 to Dirks et al., entitled “Heated Massager with Massaging Liquid Dispenser,” describes a hand-held battery powered vibrating massager comprising a heated vibrating body contacting element, and a sealed container of massaging liquid. The dispensed massaging liquid is heated on the target surface by means of the body contacting element.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,424 B1 issued in April of 2001 to Helfer-Grand, entitled “Towelette Dispenser Apparatus,” describes a portable device that dispenses pre-moistened heated towelettes. The towelettes may be housed originally in the dispenser dry and moistened as dispensed or originally housed in the dispenser in a pre-moistened state. In either case the towelette is heated as dispensed. The portable dispenser if AC or DC powered.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,061,918 B2 issued in November of 2011 to Skalitzky et al., entitled “Heated Flowable Dispenser,” describes a portable bottle comprising heat generating means used to heat a portion of personal lubricant contained therein. The bottle comprises a pumping mechanism used to drive the portion of the product to be heated into a heating chamber comprising the bottle. The bottle may be activated when positioned within a docking station which is comprised of the remaining electrical circuitry, including a PCB, and contains or is in communication with a power source.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120003025 A1 published on Jan. 5, 2012 and filed by Skalitzky et al., titled “Heating Personal lubricantDispenser,” describes a portable bottle comprising heat generating means used to heat a portion of personal lubricant contained therein. With the aid of a pumping system, the portion of the product to be heated is urged into a heating chamber comprising the bottle by squeezing the bottle or otherwise tormenting the bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,127 B1 issued in September of 2002 to Suomela et. al., entitled “Self-Contained Liquid Dispenser with Heating Means,” describes a portable liquid heating and dispensing system comprising a container housing a main reservoir of liquid a portion of which is heated prior to extraction and a docking station within which the container is positioned providing the electrical power to heat the liquid. A pump assembly is used to lift liquid out of the main reservoir into a chamber of the pump comprising heat generating means and eventually through a spout.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120125950 A1 published on May 24, 2012 and filed by Bouix et. al., entitled “Reusable Pump Dispenser for Heated Personal Care Compositions,” describes a portable hand-held device housing a main reservoir of personal lubricants portion of which is heated prior to extraction. A pump assembly is used to lift the product out of the main reservoir into a chamber of the pump comprising heat generating means and eventually through a spout.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,909,044 B2 issued in March of 2011 to Franchant et. al., entitled “Applicator Device for Applying a Cosmetic and the Use of such a Device,” describes a hand-held battery operated cosmetic applicator having an internal cavity comprising an inlet into which a stick of mascara is manually loaded, a chamber comprising heat generating means in which said mascara is heated and softened and outlets through which said mascara is excreted onto the applicator bristles. The stick of mascara is heated and dispensed in its entirety.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 8,142,090 B2 issued in March of 2012 to Kamada et. al., entitled “Cosmetic Product and Method of Applying Mascara Composition,” describes a hand-held battery operated cosmetic applicator having an internal cavity comprising an inlet into which a stick of mascara is loaded by a mechanical carrier of mascara sticks, a chamber comprising heat generating means in which said mascara is heated and softened and outlets through which said mascara is excreted onto the applicator bristles. The stick of mascara is heated and dispensed in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,975,879 B2 issued in July of 2011 to Grossbeck et. al., entitled “Temperature Controlled Liquid Dispenser Containers therefore, and Bag-in-Box Container Construction,” describes an article of manufacture that cools and heats water for human consumption. In one embodiment water cooled within the apparatus is dispensed through the main spout or diverted to an auxiliary heating unit through tubing running from the main spout to the heating unit where it is heated and dispensed through a second spout.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,056,764 B2 issued November of 2011 to Paasch et. al, entitled Metered Volume Liquid Dispensing Device,” describes a liquid food product dispenser assembly with heat generating means. The dispenser assembly includes a dispenser comprising the means to dispense the personal lubricant from a reservoir within which the personal lubricants heated and a base comprising the heat generating means within which the dispenser is positioned when the product is being heated.